Greener Than Green
by IcestormTundra
Summary: DKR series: Set during the intervening years before the night elves join the Alliance. Miatala a young night elven woman, watches her world change from afar.


For most of her life, Miatala hadn't thought about what lay beyond the borders of Winterspring.

Logically she knew that Kal'dorei lands spread far and wide over the continent of Kalimdor; the sole surviving landmass of the Sundering and its devastating aftermath. The Well of Eternity had imploded, shutting down the Great Gate to the Twisting Nether and summoning in the vast seas, drowning thousands, swallowing the land in colossal waves, and bringing an end to Azsharas' empire.

All other landmasses had been destroyed with only small, fragmented islands remaining. Relics of a bygone age. And now those too were slowly eroding beneath the power of those cold, dark tides, seaweed clinging to their ancient, crumbling bones.

Except apparently, _no_, there were other lands now, and their inhabitants were making themselves at home _here,_ in Winterspring.

Miatala stood below the boughs of a silverwood tree, arms folded, watching the meeting progress with increasing dread and curiosity.

A small gathering of so-called 'humans' stood beside the high priestess Elrena Leafsong, engaged in deep discussions through their translator. To the right stood an old druid she recognised but didn't know the name of, and her cousin Mayima who was the representative of the local wardens.

Mayima stood half a head taller than the next tallest kal'dorei present, and taller still than the human emissaries. Her wide shoulders clad in heavy plate with a fur-lined green cloak that swept down to her ankles. A helmet hid most of her face and straight dark blue hair from view, and the circular warglaive she carried was held confidently and loosely at her side.

Mia twirled her own corkscrew white curls self-consciously and stood up a little straighter, trying to mimic some of her cousins grandeur and strength, only to immediately lose the pose when another strange being (this one stout and shockingly hairy) ran forward and started talking urgently to one of the visitors; the one who appeared to be in charge. Miatala leaned forward and strained her ears to hear them speak, trying to puzzle words out of their alien tongue.

There was no point trying to emulate her cousin, she reminisced sadly. She might as well try to emulate a furbolg for all the good it did her. They were different, she'd just have to accept that.

_'Besides, I don't think Mayima likes it much. She says I need to develop a more complete sense of self, whatever that means.'_

As she watched the newcomers, there was some nonsense back and forth between the two strangers, then abruptly the human nodded a few times and turned back to Elrena. He spoke to her once more and placed one hand over his fist and bowed in the kal'dorei style, one leg crossed behind the other. Sloppily, Mia noticed, but sincerely. The man was clearly trying to pay the appropriate respect to the priestess, and Mia found herself liking him just a little more than before. But not much.

As the humans turned to leave and the crowd began to disperse, Mayima walked over to join her, removing her helm and holding it casually under one arm.

"You get a good look then?" She asked as she approached.

Miatala ducked her head in embarrassment and fell in beside her cousin. "Sorry I couldn't help it, they looked so odd and I wanted a better view. What were they saying to Elrena? Will they come back?"

"More than likely". Mayima responded with a shrug. "They were asking about opening further trade routes, and whether or not we had considered joining their 'Alliance'".

"Why would we do that?" Mia wrinkled her nose in distaste. "We don't need their help, and what could they offer us that we don't have?"

"Defence from the Horde mostly, though it's not really up to us. The priestess Tyrande will decide what is best, by the grace of Elune".

"Uurgh! Well Elune needs to hurry up then! All these meetings are cutting into our camping time. You said we would go camping weeks ago!"

"And I most certainly won't now if you keep talking like that with the priestess in earshot".

Miatala spun around so fast she nearly fell over. Swinging her arms out for balance she saw Elrena with a group of her apprentices' way across on the other side of the village, all staring at her with differing levels of disapproval. She waved frantically at them trying to signal across an apology, which was met with more disapproving looks this time mixed with confusion. One apprentice was even beginning to look alarmed.

Eventually after some more fruitless back and forth Mia just cupped her hands around her mouth, screamed 'SORRY!' as loud as she could, and turned and fled back to the relative safety of her cousin.

Mayima shot her a wolfish grin as she caught up. "That went well".

Mia groaned, covering her face with her hands and leaning back dramatically. "Please don't, they're never going to let me live that down, now I'll never qualify for the Sentinels!"

"Mia, when have you ever wanted to join the Sentinels?" Mayima asked, exasperated.

"I don't, but father wants me to…"

"Mhmm, and I'll remember why we care what he thinks any moment now".

"Hey! He's not that bad. Your parents travel a lot too!"

"I'm a lot older than you. My parents raised me until I married and moved in with Thandris. I'm pretty sure the only reason he wants you in the Sentinels is so you can move into the barracks and he can go live in the woods!"

"That's a bit unfair don't you think? Assuming he's only doing it for the wrong reasons?" Mia challenged, feeling a little hurt.

"Only if I'm wrong" Mayima muttered darkly.

Mia stared down at her feet and twiddled her thumbs uncomfortably. She was well aware that most parents kept their children closer than her father did with her, but she also knew that he loved her deeply, and she could fully understand his desire to escape into the wilderness and tend to his wintersabers rather than remain in the village. She often felt similarly herself!

Mayima on the other hand didn't see it that way, and thought that his regular absences were irresponsible, among other things. Miatala wished they could be more hospitable to each other. Couldn't they see that their bickering upset her more than the problems they had with each other did?

Besides, any time he was away Mayima had always taken care of her, and having more time to spend with her cousin was alright in Mias' books.

But speaking of Thandris…

"I overheard Jeshra today; she said the druids were stirring. Does that mean Thandris will wake up soon?"

Mayima brightened instantly and replied. "Almost certainly. It'll be good to have him home again, it's been too long".

"We could dig up that kimchi we buried in the garden when he gets back, the one with all those wild mushrooms, serve it with rice cakes and those smoked fish in the storeroom"? Miatala suggested with increasing excitement.

"There's liquorice roots for sweet tea afterwards, Thandris would love that". Mayima was now sporting a smile that crinkled around her eyes like starbursts.

"Aaand I can make biscuits, and we can go stargazing and ice skating and _camping_!" Mia was practically bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet with excitement now, hands held in front of her and her eyes shining.

Mayima laughed and gave Miatala a friendly push on the shoulder. "Yes, fine. When Thandris comes home we can go camping. But first that house needs cleaning. Can you imagine that poor man's reaction when he walks in and sees the state of the kitchen?"

"Elune he would faint on the spot!" Mia exclaimed, clutching her head and grinning anxiously at the same time. "We have to get back! We have to clea- Mayima, THE BEDROOMS!"

"Shhh calm down, we have a few days at least. We'll get it clean enough for Arch Druid Fusspot easily, no problem".

"You sure?"

"I always am".

Mia smiled as she let Mayima take the lead, noticing the new spring in her cousins' step. There was something about seeing her cousin happy that always made her feel safe and secure, like nightsaber kittens frolicking under the gaze of their mother. Somehow, Mia knew that as long as she had Mayima there to watch over her, she'd be safe. Forever and always.

As the two of them rounded the last grove of trees and their home came within sight, Mia took off in a run, screeching to a halt at the front door and pushing her way inside without bothering to take off her boots. Outside she could hear her cousin telling her to 'wait up' just like she always did.

_Forever and always._


End file.
